Suction accumulator

ABSTRACT

A suction accumulator for a refrigeration system comprising a cylindrical casing having a trangential inlet opening in the upper portion thereof and a suction conduit extending upwardly through the bottom wall of the casing and terminating in an upper end adjacent the top of the casing above the tangential inlet. The accumulator includes a baffle between the inlet opening and the upper end of the conduit, this otherwise imperforate baffle including a passage for receiving the conduit. The passage has a larger cross-sectional area than the conduit and includes a plurality of spaced radially extending tabs or arms resiliently engaging the conduit to position the conduit centrally of the passage and provide flow of refrigerant through the spaces between the tabs or arms.

United States Patent [1 1 Ladusaw [451 Mar. 12, 1974 [73] Assignee: General Electric Company,

Louisville, Ky.

[22] Filed: Nov. 20, 1972 [2]] Appl. No.: 307,857

Primary E.raminerMeyer Perlin Attorney, Agent, or FirmWalter E. Rule; Francis H. Boos, Jr.

[ 5 7 ABSTRACT A suction accumulator for a refrigeration system comprising a cylindrical casing having a trangential inlet opening in the upper portion thereof and a suction conduit extending upwardly through the bottom wall of the casing and terminating in an upper end adjacent the top of the casing above the tangential inlet. The accumulator includes a baffle between the inlet opening and the upper end of the conduit, this otherwise imperforate baffle including a passage for receiving the conduit. The passage has a larger cross-sectional area than the conduit and includes a plurality of spaced radially extending tabs or arms resiliently engaging the conduit to position the conduit centrally of the passage and provide flow of refrigerant through the spaces between the tabs or arms.

SUCTION ACCUMULATOR BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION A compressor of a refrigeration system is designed primarily for gas compression. However, under some operating circumstances, liquid refrigerant may pass from the evaporator of the system through the suction line and into the inlet of the compressor. If this liquid fioodover is substantial, the compressor parts may be damaged due to the incompressibility of the liquid refrigerant with resultant high bearing loads. In addition, the liquid refrigerant may dilute the lubricant contained in the compressor casing with resultant deterioration of lubricity.

In order to solve this problem, it is the usual practice to provide a suction accumulator between the evaporator and the compressor having as its primary function the passage of gaseous refrigerant to the compressor and trapping of liquid refrigerant when this liquid is present in excessive amounts. The liquid refrigerant retained by theaccumulator is metered to the compressor at a controlled rate such that damage to the compressor and its associated components is prevented.

Suction accumulators for separating the liquid and gaseous components ofa circulating refrigerant and for feeding the liquid refrigerant to the compressor at a controlled rate are shown and described, for example,

in US. Pat. Nos. -l,978,463-Kettering; 2,570,962-' McBroom; 2,813,404-Hirsch; 3,012,414-LaPorte; 3,643,466-Bottum and 3,651,657-Bottum.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved suction line accumulator particularly characterized by its simple and low cost construction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION suction conduit inlet. An otherwise imperforate baffle between the tangential inlet opening and the suction conduit inlet end divides the interior of the casing into upper and lower sections. This baffle has a central opening of a larger cross-sectional area than the conduit. The upper end portion of the conduit extends through the opening and is centrally positioned therein by a plurality of arms extending radially into the opening and resiliently engaging the conduit at spaced points. The spaces between these arms provide passages for the flow of gaseous refrigerant from the lower portion of the casing to the inlet end of the suction conduit.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING In the accompanying drawing:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a refrigeration system including the accumulator of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the accumulator illustrating the internal construction thereof; and

FIG. 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken along line 3--3 of FIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT With reference to FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawing, there is shown a refrigeration system including a compressor 1, a condenser 2, a capillary flow restrictor '3, an evaporator 4, and the suction accumulator 5 of the present invention connected in closed series flow relationship. During operation of the compressor 1, low pressure refrigerant from the suction conduit 7 is compressed by the compressor and discharged through a discharge conduit 8 to the condenser 2. The condensed refrigerant from the condenser 2 is metered by the capillary flow restrictor 3- in its flow to the evaporator 4 in which most of the refrigerant is vaporized.

The suction accumulator 5 of the present invention is connected into the system between the evaporator 4 and the compressor 1 and its primary purposes are to separate any liquid refrigerant flowing from the evaporator from the gaseous refrigerant and to meter any liquid refrigerant to the compressor at acontrolled rate such as to prevent any damage to the compressor components.

The detailed construction of the accumulator 5 is shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 of the drawing. It comprises a vertically extending, cylindrical casing 10 tapering at its upper and lower ends to form a topwall 11 and a bottom'wall 12. Specifically, the bottom wall is generally funnel shaped and includes an opening 13 at the lower end thereof for receiving the standpipe end 14 of the suction conduit 7. The upper end 11 of the casing is generally hemispherical in shape and may be provided with a tubular connection 15 for use in initial evacuation of the system.

The refrigerant inlet conduit 16 which conveys refrigerant from the evaporator 4 to the accumulator 5 is connected generally tangentially to the cylindrical side wall 10 intermediate the upper and lower ends of the casing, this tangential connection providing, in the known manner, a centrifugal separation of liquid and gaseous refrigerant flowing through the inlet conduit 16. The accumulator 5 also includes a generally impervious baffle 18 above the inlet conduit 16 which, in effect, divides the interior of the accumulator into an upper portion 19 and a lower portion 20. This'baffle 18 extends across the entire cross section of the casing 10 and includes a single central opening 21 having a larger cross sectional area than the standpipe 14, this opening preferably being in axial alignment with the opening 13 at the bottom of the accumulator. As illustrated in the 25 define passages 26 for the flow of refrigerant from the lower portion 20 of the casing into the upper portion 19.

During the operation of the refrigeration system, the tangential entrance of refrigerant into the accumulator 5 from the conduit 16 provides a centrifugal separation of any liquid refrigerant particles from the gaseous refrigerant. The liquid refrigerant, plus any entrained oil or lubricant, collects in the storage volume provided by the lower portion of the accumulator. A plurality of vertically spaced metering holes are provided in the conduit portion 14 for gradually returning liquid to the compressor through the suction line 7 at a rate at which the liquid can be vaporized during transfer to the compressor or handled by the compressor. A tortious gas path established in the center of the accumulator, that is adjacent the conduit portion 14, assures the flow of only gaseous refrigerant into the upper portion 19 of the accumulator through the passages 26. These centrally positioned passages 26 provide the sole communication between the lower and the upper portions of the accumulator and are of a size to permit gas flow without restriction under steady running conditions of the system but to impede the passage of refrigerant froth, oil and foam into the upper portion 19 of the accumulator or into the inlet end 24 of the suction conduit during startup of the compressor. Thus, the accumulator provides effective means for separating liquid refrigerant from the gaseous refrigerant and for pre-- venting passage of damaging amounts of liquid refrigerant to the compressor under all normal and abnormal operating conditions. These results are obtained by a simple and low cost accumulator construction.

While the invention'has been particularly described with reference to a specific embodiment thereof, it will be understood that it is not limited thereto and it is intended by the appended claims to cover all such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention. 1

I claim:

l. A suction accumulator for a refrigeration system comprising:

a casing having a generally cylindrical side wall and top and bottom walls;

a suction conduit extending through said bottom wall and terminating in an inlet end adjacent said top wall;

a tangential inlet opening into said casing below a baffle;

said bafile in the upper portion of said casing between said inlet end and said tangential inlet opening;

said baffle having a central opening therein of a larger cross sectional area than said conduit, the upper end portion of said conduit extending through said opening, said baflle including a plurality of arms extending radially into said opening and resiliently engaging said conduit at spaced points for the positioning of the upper portion thereof in said casing, the spaces between said arms providing the sole communication between the lower portion of said casing to the inlet end of said suction conduit;

said spaces being dimensioned to allow refrigerant gas flow therethrough under steady running conditions of the refrigeration system and to impede the passage of liquid therethrough to prevent liquid to be drawn into said suction conduit.

2. A suction accumulator according to claim 1 in which said conduit included a plurality of vertically spaced holes for metering the flow of liquid refrigerant from said casing.

3. A suction accumulator according to claim, 1 in which the ends of said arms engaging said conduit are bent upwardly. 

1. A suction accumulator for a refrigeration system comprising: a casing having a generally cylindrical side wall and top and bottom walls; a suction conduit extending through said bottom wall and terminating in an inlet end adjacent said top wall; a tangential inlet opening into said casing below a baffle; said baffle in the upper portion of said casing between said inlet end and said tangential inlet opening; said baffle having a central opening therein of a larger cross sectional area than said conduit, the upper end portion of said conduit extending through said opening, said baffle including a plurality of arms extending radially into said opening and resiliently engaging said conduit at spaced points for the positioning of the upper portion thereof in said casing, the spaces between said arms providing the sole communication between the lower portion of said casing to the inlet end of said suction conduit; said spaces being dimensioned to allow refrigerant gas flow therethrough under steady running conditions of the refrigeration system and to impede the passage of liquid therethrough to prevent liquid to be drawn into said suction conduit.
 2. A suction accumulator according to claim 1 in which said conduit included a plurality of vertically spaced holes for metering the flow of liquid refrigerant from said casing.
 3. A suction accumulator according to claim 1 in which the ends of said arms engaging said conduit are bent upwardly. 